More info: The meeting will include a public hearing on whether Boulder should submit a proposal to host the USA Pro Cycling Challenge race again in 2013. To read the full agenda, go to tinyurl.com/8jtlmzo.

After receiving a report that the economic impact of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge was far less than some Boulder boosters had predicted, the City Council will weigh in Thursday on whether the city should pursue another stage of the elite race in 2013.

A study of the race's economic impact performed by the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado estimated visitor spending linked to the race at $1.2 million and sales tax revenue at $48,000. In a memo to the council, city officials said taxpayers spent $283,000 on the race, mostly in the form of additional time for police, fire and open space staff members.

The local organizing committee that marshaled support for a Boulder stage of the six-day race last year has until Nov. 16 to submit a proposal for next year. Race organizers would then select from among the interested cities.

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According to the city memo, committee members want to know the level of support the city is willing to provide for future race efforts before they submit a proposal. They also want the city to take on more of the marketing efforts associated with the race, though they are still willing to be responsible for arranging hotels, parking and meals, finding sponsors and doing fundraising to offset race costs, and organizing the finish festival.

Members of the local organizing committee could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

The City Council will hold a public hearing and discuss its interest in hosting the race in the future at its meeting Thursday. If council members support a 2013 bid, they would hold another meeting and public hearing Nov. 15 before signing an official letter of support.

Boulder Mayor Matt Appelbaum said he doesn't know yet where he'll come down on the issue.

"It cost us something, and it brought a lot of attention to Boulder and brought a lot of people here," he said. "It was also a great community event, and we do spend money on those things. We have to decide if, as a community, we're prepared to spend that much money to have this."

The Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau had estimated the race could generate more than $8 million in additional sales.

Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Mary Ann Mahoney said race organizers had predicted that a lot more people would watch the race finish in Boulder and that more of them would come from outside Boulder County. Instead of the anticipated 100,000 spectators, an estimated 60,000 people watched the race.

"That's a big difference," she said.

And local visitors tend to spend less money than people traveling from outside the region or around the country, Mahoney said.

August sales tax data released earlier this month by the city showed an increase of $875,000 over the same month last year. That would translate into roughly $25 million in additional sales, though not all of it would be directly attributable to the race.

However, city officials now say that a new sales accounting system caused some numbers from July to be carried over to August. That means July sales tax revenue was underreported and August numbers were overreported.

Boulder spokesman Patrick Von Keyserling said city officials believe they received about $48,000 in additional tax revenue on race day. Finance department officials will present a sector-by-sector breakdown Thursday.

According to the memo, city officials believe they would save some money if Boulder hosted the race again, but it could still cost as much as $200,000, particularly if the race finished on Flagstaff Mountain again.

Councilman Ken Wilson, who was an enthusiastic supporter of the race, said the city would need to weigh the costs, but he thinks Boulder could host the race for much less money if the route doesn't finish on open space.

"It's clear that the race is going to stay in Colorado, and other cities are fighting to get a stage," he said. "It wouldn't have to end on Flagstaff. It could just come through town."

When some Boulder residents objected to holding the finish on open space during the race planning this year, organizers said the Flagstaff finish was essential to the success of the Boulder stage.

Mahoney said the race still could have long-term economic benefit to Boulder.

"Having this race featured in between 160 and 200 countries for more than two hours on television, as well as the U.S. distribution, and having almost like a two-hour commercial for Boulder, that's an intangible measurable that we're still trying to get our hands around," Mahoney said. "If you were on the streets that day, I have a hard time saying it was a disappointment."

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